Tim Wellens takes stage and Tom Dumoulin leads GC

Tim Wellens from Lotto Soudal out sprinted breakaway companion Tom Dumoulin from Sunweb after a gruelling rain soaked stage through the Ardennes

The 200 km sixth stage between Riemst and Houffalize was a super hilly, rain soaked stage.

A breakaway of five riders was established early on; Tao Geogheagan (Sky), Tony Martin (Katusha-Alpecin), Dylan van Baarle (Cannondale-Drapac), Alexis Gougeard (AG2R La Mondiale) and Pieter Weening (Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij). They created a maximum lead of four minutes over the peloton.

Lotto-Soudal and Lotto NL Jumbo didn't like the gap, so they started to chase, such was the pace and terrain, riders were being shelled out of the back of the main peloton.

They caught the breakaway with around 30 kilometres to go and then the attacks started. Oliver Naesen (AG2R La Mondiale), Tim Wellens (Lotto-Soudal) and Tom Dumoulin (Sunweb) all attacked.

Peter Sagan (Bora-hansgrohe), attacked but suffered a front wheel puncture and had to wait for service from way behind the peloton.

Wellens attacked and took Dumoulin with him.

A chase group containing Bakelants, Van Avermaet tried to reel them in, but they maintained a 24 second gap.

Behind themm Sagan led another chase group, but gave up because none of his companions would share the work.

Wellen's and Dumoulin maintained their gap and the Belgian crossed the line first. Dumoulin's second place was enough for him to take over the race lead.

Wellens now trails the Dumoulin by four seconds with Van Avermaet 46 seconds behind and Jasper Stuyven of Trek-Segafredo and Astana's Michael Valgren making up the top five riders overall.

A unlucky and extremely frustrated Peter Sagan rolled over the line down on the stage results and has dropped down the the GC as a result. He gave a very sarcastic thumbs up to the moto crew in disgust of the days unfortunate events and lack of co-operation from his chase group companions. It seem's to be a regular occurance that riders won't work with Sagan.